The Legacy by Paul Lederer

Author:Paul Lederer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781480488113
Publisher: Open Road Media

SEVEN

‘Well, I suppose there’s sense to what you say,’ Tiny was saying as the three stood around the bunkhouse kitchen drinking coffee. He looked from Amanda to Glen Strange whose bruised and plastered eye gave him a somewhat sinister appearance. They had just finished telling Tiny about the ranch’s new policy where it concerned rehiring men who had just gotten caught up in the gold frenzy and were really decent hands. ‘You say you’re leaving it up to me to choose who stays and who goes?’

‘You know the men better than we do,’ Amanda said.

‘That’s so.’ Tiny looked doubtful still. ‘Of course, Ben won’t like this seeing that he’s already decided that they should all be fired after turning their backs on the brand.’

‘Ben Case has no say in this,’ Amanda said and there was steel in her voice.

Glen told him, ‘You don’t have to worry about what Ben Case says. He won’t be around much from here on out.’

Tiny put his tin coffee cup aside. Pursing his lips, he said quietly, ‘I guess I’d better go out and call the Fain brothers over if you’re still needing to talk to them.’

‘He doesn’t like the idea of me taking over,’ Amanda said as Tiny clomped down the steps toward the woodpile.

‘He just doesn’t like change,’ Glen said, placing his own cup aside. ‘There’s been too much of it around here lately.’

‘I suppose you’re right. Do you want me to stay around while you inform the Fain brothers that Will’s been killed?’

‘If you like. I can tell them what’s happened, as much as I know. But you’ll have to be the one to send them back to the south range to relieve Bobby.’

The conversation with the Fains was not an easy one, but both Rod and Austin seemed to have been expecting the worst. Austin said only, ‘We’d better get back out there, then.’

‘I’m … sorry,’ Amanda Buchanan told the blond cowboys and they regarded her with uncertain gratitude.

‘Thanl you, ma’am,’ Austin muttered and the two reset their hats and started toward the bunkhouse door. Glen reminded them to take an extra horse along and they nodded and trudged onward.

Tiny had been waiting outside. Now he entered, bringing with him a lanky, sad-eyed cowhand of medium height, hat held in his hands.

‘This is Calvin Traylor. He wants to come back to work on the J-Bar. After what you said, Miss Buchanan.’

Amanda looked briefly at the repentant cowboy, glanced at Glen and then asked Tiny, ‘Can you work with this man? Is he a troublemaker?’

‘He works hard,’ Tiny replied. ‘Never caused any trouble around the ranch.’

‘Ma’am—’ Calvin Traylor began apologetically, but Amanda interrupted him. She had heard all she needed to know. The J-Bar was desperate for men.

‘Get yourself settled,’ Amanda said decisively. ‘Tiny, when Bobby Trapp comes in, have Calvin help him bury Will Fain. After that, have them go over and relieve those two old gophers who’ve been guarding the mausoleum.’

Glen smiled at the reference to Buster Haynes and Len Crutcher, but he admired the way Amanda was taking charge of her ranch.

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